Lionel Messi disappears! Winners and losers as fans whistle superstar in another PSG home defeat

Posted Monday, April 03, 2023 by Goal.com

An ineffective Paris Saint-Germain created little and were made to pay by a clinical Lyon in their fifth Ligue 1 loss of 2023.

The boos rang around Parc des Princes at full-time as Lionel Messi strolled off the pitch. And PSG's notoriously passionate ultras had reason aplenty to be upset. They had put up with a miserable Paris showing, watching their World Cup winner unceremoniously exit after turning in a drab showing in a 1-0 loss to a mid-table Lyon side.

There is unlikely to be much jeopardy in the rest of PSG's season. They have a healthy lead atop Ligue 1, and after being bounced from both the cup and Champions League, are only expected to see out the campaign.

But that doesn't mean it's not without drama. Messi has been linked with a sensational return to Barcelona, and parts of the Paris crowd made their feelings known about their superstar with constant jeers. And his team didn't do much to help him, either.

Lyon took the lead in the second half, with substitute Bradley Barcola sneaking in at the back post to finish a sweeping counter-attack — a deserved opener from a well-drilled opponent.

The last time PSG went behind at home, they were ineffective in their search for an equaliser. And it was the same case here. Manager Christophe Galtier made a few attacking changes, while Messi picked up pockets of space. But the Parisians rarely tested Anthony Lopes, with a deflected strike that required a diving stop the closest PSG came to a real threat.

PSG will likely still see out the league, and were done a favour by Montpellier, who scraped a point against Marseille on Friday. But it's not going to be pretty, especially if these performances continue.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Parc des Princes...